AFP reports that US special forces have set up a base in the Central African Republic (CAR) as part of their regional hunt for the LRA.

“The deployment of this contingent, the size of which is unknown, was carried out very discreetly with Ugandan military aircraft,” a Central African military official said on condition of anonymity.

The US elite troops set up a base in Obo (in CAR) and are expected to coordinate their efforts with local government forces and Ugandan soldiers.

Besides Obo, the US forces also have a forward base in South Sudan. They began deploying in Uganda early December 2011.

The rebels currently number several hundred, a fraction of their strength at their peak but still include a core of hardened fighters infamous for mutilating civilians and abducting children for soldiers and sex-slaves.

The majority of US troops will be based in Uganda while a smaller number will be based in jungle areas in neighbouring countries to advise regional armies tracking the rebels, US officials say.